Antonio Romero, EDU '10, has spent over 18 years working with Philadelphia youth in various capacities. First as a para-educator while pursuing his bachelor of science in elementary education with a concentration in special education, then as a lead classroom teacher. Most recently, he returned to his alma mater to work in Undergraduate Admissions, where he currently serves as associate director for diversity initiatives and community relations.

"One of the greatest things I did as a student at Temple was gain real-life experience," Romero said. "My time as a para-educator allowed me to apply the content knowledge I received in the classroom to the real world."

Additionally, Romero says College of Education and Human Development faculty nurtured a growth mindset. As a male person of color in the education field, Romero says he put a lot of pressure on himself. "Representation matters," he said, "but even more important is good representation and quality in representation." Romero unlocked the ability to give himself grace, he says, thanks to the empathy exhibited by the faculty at Temple and learning about continuous improvement.

Today, Romero is not in the classroom daily, but he continues to visit and engage with youth. Some would say he is a college recruiter, but he says "I don't recruit. [My team] is in the truthing business - we go into classrooms, share the truth about the process and help students recognize their potential, letting them know they are not alone. We're here to support the students, first and foremost. We're making college the norm in our city and in our neighborhoods. We want the students to know that yes, college is special, but they are too, and it's not beyond their grasp."

He credits his undergraduate experience with preparing him with the knowledge that he will not connect with students by taking facts and figures and presenting the information during classroom visits. Instead, he creates engaging "micro-experiences" to help students understand what it's like to be a Temple Owl.

His guiding light is a lesson he learned from one of his first teachers, his father. "He taught me to understand before seeking to be understood," Romero said. "The CEHD has a student-centered approach, which reinforced what I learned from him - listening before I can teach. To reach students' minds, you have to go through their hearts first. I'm not teaching a subject; I'm teaching a way of living."

Read more about Romero, who was recently featured by Institutional Advancement.